SS 1LE or Civic Type R: What would you do, dad?

speedvagen

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Keep the Camaro, I love my CTR, but don’t think for a second that I wouldn’t turn back time and undo my decision to trade in my S2000 (my “1LE”) for a family vehicle.

I should have kept the S2000 and went to find a used but fun family hauler instead, keeping the S2000 as a sunny day car. I mean, you can’t have many payments to go on the Camaro? Make due with the Silverado until payments are made if it’s not in the budget...then once it’s paid, find Something else to be your around town compromise vehicle (heck even a new/used CTR at that point)...

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NapalmEnema

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Agree on the wagon.. but finding a sporting wagon nowadays in the US? E63? Maybe an older RS6? just aren't many to choose from. Sometimes you don't want to use a roof rack. There is a lazy convenience to the SUV, hence its explosion in the market.

What's left in the wagon market right now? ( https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g26961972/best-station-wagons/ )
VW Jetta
Buick Regal
Volvo V60 / V90
Subaru
A4
BMW 3 Series


How bout one of these: https://www.indycar.com/News/2013/07/7-1-Notes-Pagenaud-climbs-hills-in-van ;)
If you have the coin check out the RS6 now THAT's a wagon!
 

willskiGT

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Agree on the wagon.. but finding a sporting wagon nowadays in the US? E63? Maybe an older RS6? just aren't many to choose from. Sometimes you don't want to use a roof rack. There is a lazy convenience to the SUV, hence its explosion in the market.

What's left in the wagon market right now? ( https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g26961972/best-station-wagons/ )
VW Jetta
Buick Regal
Volvo V60 / V90
Subaru
A4
BMW 3 Series


How bout one of these: https://www.indycar.com/News/2013/07/7-1-Notes-Pagenaud-climbs-hills-in-van ;)
Audi has never brought an RS wagon to the states (until the 2020/2021 RS6), despite making 8 since 1994.

RS2
RS4 (all 4 generations)
RS6 (first 3 generations)

In terms of performance wagons from the last 5 years, it's basically:

V60 Polestar (more of a 3 series size though)
E63

That's it.
 

NapalmEnema

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seanblurr

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I was not expecting to see a thread like this over on Civic X. Quite a dilemma you are in, have you made a decision yet?

I guess I am lucky enough to have had a 17' SS 1LE and now own both a ZL1 1LE and Type R. As others have said, they are completely different cars in every way. Both are amazing for what they are. It ultimately comes down to what you want the car for. I wanted a track weapon, hence the ZL1 1LE, and I wanted a fun, sporty, yet practical daily driver, hence the CTR.

The Camaro, even the SS, will be more engaging and raw, you'll love the roar of the V8 and the seat of the pants feel that the low-end torque will give you. Such a fun car on the road and the track, even as a weekend cruiser with the wife.

The Civic is high strung, quiet, quick, precise yet not as raw or engaging. Take them both on a backroad, I have no doubt the CTR would be quicker. Throw it into a corner and the turn-in is immediate, lift-off oversteer, flat out of the canyon curve into the next bend. Like a scalpel. The Camaro is a saw. Turn-in is surprisingly strong for a 3,900lb car, but you feel the size on the smaller canyon roads. Too much power, can't even come close to utilizing it. But boy, when you can, that N/A V8 is something to behold.

On track, well, we know the answer. The CTR is no match. The SS 1LE is in my mind one of the best values you can buy. An almost near perfect street-track car. IF you have to have only one, it doesn't get much better. The only thing better I can fathom is to have both ;)

Let me know if you have any specific questions about either car and I will do my best to answer.
 

DPE

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Was in the same situation with a slightly different car. Had an S550 Mustang GT Performance Pack, with tons of suspension mods bringing it up to about SS 1LE cornering levels. I drove a couple to compare, and overall feel and performance was similar. Amazing track car, amazing sounds, fun to drive and all that. But I drove mine about 6000 miles in 1.5 years. And that includes a few 1000+ mile road trips, so you can do the math and discern that it was otherwise sitting in the garage all too often. I work in oil and gas and thus have an Expedition for work and family stuff. Wife got tired of minivans after 10 years and has a Jetta GLI. At least it's a 6MT. My youngest kid is 11 and my oldest drives herself everywhere, but for me if I take one kid I'm often taking another somewhere or picking up a friend etc. And then in winter of course you've got three months where a Mustang is about useless if you don't have winter tires. So, a dilemma.

Obviously I bought a CTR. And on balance, I'm glad I did. Not only is it a more usable car, it's just so damn easy for just about anything. I'd say I use it about 4x more than the Mustang in terms of 'normal' use, and then if I take a road trip in the winter months or up to the mountains when it's not summer, I can throw on all-seasons and feel reasonably confident that I'll get where I'm going and still have fun on the mountain roads when I get there. For this point in my life in makes a ton of sense.

I miss the V8 a lot. I'll have another one day. Nothing better than stout NA power delivery. I miss RWD a little. Fun to hooligan around in, but in the twisties I didn't have complete faith it would stay put. Usually would, and on track it was fine, but on an unfamiliar road I'm probably quicker and more at ease in the CTR. I grew up on a 1990 Taurus SHO, AWD DSMs, and a Contour SVT, so FWD/AWD is a little more in my DNA anyway. Do not miss the weight. That's one thing that drew me to the CTR; simplicity and light weight. I'm enjoying those attributes quite a lot, though electronic parking brakes are the devil's work and should be banned. The Mustang actually had even better brakes than the CTR, but the CTR's are easier to modulate. Not quite so grabby. And despite what you may read, the stock Mustang GT shifter was quite good. And inline with what you read, the CTR shifter is fantastic. Mustang steering has been a little wonky on the S550 platform from inception, and was a big demerit for it. CTR steering is very good. Mustang seats were very good. CTR seats are great.

On track, you'll miss the 1LE like I miss the Mustang. Weirdly the little Honda has heat issues while the heavy muscle cars can lap all day, but that's the times we live in. And RWD and an NA motor is generally just better for track use. That said, with proper (not the stock) tires, the CTR can be pretty great on track and lap times can be downright amazing if you care about that sort of thing. I mostly care about keeping up with my friend in a well driven 981 Cayman S, which I can almost do. Only one track day and I destroyed the front OEM tires in short order, but I was within a second on a 2.2 mile track so I call that success :). More importantly, other than chunking the front tires, I really enjoyed the car on track. Not quite like a Mustang, but not so far off either.

Not sure if you care about this aspect either, but what put me over the edge is that Honda only cuts loose every so often. I think we've got another good 10 years of proper V8 muscle cars, at least, so I'm going on the notion that those will be out there down the road if I want another one day. The next Type R could be a hybrid with a DSG if there is another Type R at all (pure speculation, just saying it could happen that way like it did for the NSX). I needed to own Honda's best effort at a true driver's car (manual gearbox, no extra electric motors, as little electronic crap as possible on a modern car) at least once in my life, so I went with it. I don't think you'll regret it if you do, and if after a couple years you decide to go back, muscle cars will be there for you and resale on the CTR will no doubt still be great. At the end of the day, I sure like driving my 'fun' car pretty regularly rather than once every so often.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, but I get more positive (and zero negative) comments on the CTR than I have for any sporting car I've ever owned. And from old and young, different races, etc. Though at 44 I think it may be a bit ridiculous, clearly the general public thinks it looks pretty great.
 
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CivicRGTS

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Hello everyone

I am currently at a crossroad. I own a 2017 SS 1LE. This baby doesnt get tracked or abused....actually, it doesnt even get used that much. Over the past 3 years, I have driven it a grand total of 8,000 miles. It didnt start this way though. The Camaro was never supposed to be a "garage queen". It seems that as my daughters keep growing, I keep gravitating towards my wife's Silverado for anything that has to do with getting out of the house. While this is not a bad combo (race car for Sundays, truck for everything else), it feels like a total waste. Also, cars are meant to be driven, and when not, are depreciating and asking for maintenance.

I still love driving that car. That 6.2L, that sound, that chassis and brakes. The shifter is precise and perfect. But then again, my oldest daughter doesnt fit unless she crosses her legs (at all times) and the baby doesnt like riding in it (my guess is she doesnt appreciate the dungeon-like accomodations). So it has become that dad only car, the car that I drive when Im by myself, on a sunny day, with nice weather. Its pretty much a motorcycle....but I also have a motorcycle for that.

The Civic Type R is the only car that Ive considered to replace my beloved Camaro. The looks are awesome (specially in Rallye Red!!!), Ive found one in my hometown for a fair price. I would also pay less that I am paying now each month. The Camaro has been great and extremely reliable, and it pains me to give up a manual, RWD, N/A V8 monster. That is why a Type R is the only car I am considering, its fast, looks agressive, It comes in a manual,can accomodate more people and trunk space is huge.

To the point then: Has anyone here been in this similar situation? I have read a lot of posts but most people Ive read are trading in a Civic Si or a similar car. Anyone out there traded a Camaro or Mustang, or ATS-V or something similar? If so, What has been your experience? Any regrets? Would you do it again? Maybe someone currently owns both?

Any input is welcome, even if you completely disagree with me, let me have it.

Agreed...you have a prized Camero that will be hard to part with. My 2018 white Type R put a smile on my face everytime I drive it, and my wife also loves it. I also own a Porsche Cayman GTS that I drive much less. I get more compliment on the Type R than the Porsche. A low mileage Type R will definitely appreciate in value over time. My advice is to keep both cars and enjoy them.
 

djhartm

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If you are not going to drive the Camaro then move on to something else. The CTR is a great choice if you want that type of car.

I moved from an F80 M3. Haven’t got the CTR yet so can only provide test drive impressions.
I have a 2018 Z06 Z07, as well as a 2019 Type-R. I also instruct and track the snot out of them.

Both are very good but very different vehicles.

Hands down, the Z06 will wipe the floor of the Type-R at VIR.

If you are looking for outright performance, the SS is the winner hands down.

I wanted something different and wanted to learn to drive a FWD car at speed.

The Type-R is a wickedly fun, capable, and practical car.

The Z06 is an intense beast that requires your A-game to drive at speed.

If I did not have the Z06, I probably would have purchased an SS or Mustang GT because with discounts, they are not much more than the Type-R.

Re 'heat' issues, my 2019 only threw a DIC message once late into a session at VIR with ambient temp in the high 90's. Lots of other cars were affected as well.
 
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CivilciviC

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I can’t help but feel like OP will be disappointed with the Civic, for the sole reason it’s not a rocket ship from 0 mph. I don’t even bother trying to race anyone from a stand still. I remember I was at the lights with a Golf R beside me. It looked stock. Couldn’t tell if it was a 6MT or DSG.

Well, the light turned green and he was GONE. Turns out it was the DSG version after all, judging by how it was shifting. Maybe even tuned. There’s no way I could even come close to keeping up, that’s for sure. It put power down in ways the CTR could only ever dream.

People are constantly surprised how “slow” the CTR is from a dig. There’s even a new thread in the general CTR forum section, about how an A7 is faster. And they’re right. 0-60 in 5.0 seconds is rather slow, by today’s standards.

BUT... so long as that isn’t an issue, the car is absolutely wonderful in all other aspects.
 

GeezR

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You have a 1LE, so you know what it can do. A Type R-is like a detuned version of your car, If you were using it mostly for track days I'd say keep the Camaro, the Type R isn't really track ready.

Otherwise, I'd go with the Type R with its MUCH better gas mileage (I have gotten mid 30 mpg's at legal highway speeds), more comfortable ride, 4 doors, a large rear seat, a large trunk, better outward visibility. It fits me like a glove and I feel totally connected to it. I have a choice of cars for daily driving and always end up in the Type R. Even a 10' trip to the grocery store is enjoyable.

The odd ball, over the top, exaggerated styling has grown on me. The wing helps neutralize the Civic's otherwise weird rear hump. Mine is red and that also neutralizes, or harmonizes, the garish red accents Honda just had to put every where possible (wheels, seats, seat belts, floor mats, interior trim, exterior trim, steering wheel, badges, calipers, engine, etc., etc.). In any exterior color but red, those red flourish jump out but not so much on one with a red exterior.

Of course there could be disagreement on this color question amongst other owners:). Hey, you have kids and, statistically, bright cars are 50% less likely to be involved in a car accident. Visibility helps,so it's not showing off, its being safe....
 

Russgolfs

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Hello everyone

I am currently at a crossroad. I own a 2017 SS 1LE. This baby doesnt get tracked or abused....actually, it doesnt even get used that much. Over the past 3 years, I have driven it a grand total of 8,000 miles. It didnt start this way though. The Camaro was never supposed to be a "garage queen". It seems that as my daughters keep growing, I keep gravitating towards my wife's Silverado for anything that has to do with getting out of the house. While this is not a bad combo (race car for Sundays, truck for everything else), it feels like a total waste. Also, cars are meant to be driven, and when not, are depreciating and asking for maintenance.

I still love driving that car. That 6.2L, that sound, that chassis and brakes. The shifter is precise and perfect. But then again, my oldest daughter doesnt fit unless she crosses her legs (at all times) and the baby doesnt like riding in it (my guess is she doesnt appreciate the dungeon-like accomodations). So it has become that dad only car, the car that I drive when Im by myself, on a sunny day, with nice weather. Its pretty much a motorcycle....but I also have a motorcycle for that.

The Civic Type R is the only car that Ive considered to replace my beloved Camaro. The looks are awesome (specially in Rallye Red!!!), Ive found one in my hometown for a fair price. I would also pay less that I am paying now each month. The Camaro has been great and extremely reliable, and it pains me to give up a manual, RWD, N/A V8 monster. That is why a Type R is the only car I am considering, its fast, looks agressive, It comes in a manual,can accomodate more people and trunk space is huge.

To the point then: Has anyone here been in this similar situation? I have read a lot of posts but most people Ive read are trading in a Civic Si or a similar car. Anyone out there traded a Camaro or Mustang, or ATS-V or something similar? If so, What has been your experience? Any regrets? Would you do it again? Maybe someone currently owns both?

Any input is welcome, even if you completely disagree with me, let me have it.
If you aren't driving the Camaro because of the interior space by all means get a CTR. The first 2 gears in the CTR will not impress you as others have stated so maybe consider tuning after your purchase to wake up the car off the line. I have the 2018 ZL1 & the 2017 gray CTR for fun only. My daily is a 2017 Si. In good weather I take my CTR to buy my bigger items that won't fit in the other 2 cars. Watch out for pot holes in the CTR or do the wheel/tire swap some guys do. Life is too short to not drive a car you like.
 

frontlinegeek

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I say, if you want to row gears and you want more space, either CTR or Accord 2.0T Sport with the 6 speed. Both can be tuned to the 350 HP range easily. And compared to the Toyota Camry, I would take the Accord every day.

That being said, my friend has a 2018 Camaro SS and boy oh boy... I would be VERY hard pressed to let such a toy go. Especially if you can easily afford to hold it. Need some derpy utility added to the mix? Go get a used Honda or Toyota and add it to the fleet. Pick up a 2012 CRV or Rav4 or a Highlander.
 

yargk

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Agree on the wagon.. but finding a sporting wagon nowadays in the US? E63? Maybe an older RS6? just aren't many to choose from. Sometimes you don't want to use a roof rack. There is a lazy convenience to the SUV, hence its explosion in the market.

What's left in the wagon market right now? ( https://www.caranddriver.com/features/g26961972/best-station-wagons/ )
VW Jetta
Buick Regal
Volvo V60 / V90
Subaru
A4
BMW 3 Series


How bout one of these: https://www.indycar.com/News/2013/07/7-1-Notes-Pagenaud-climbs-hills-in-van ;)
There are a few golf sportwagens still on lots, I like those a lot as well. Incredible cargo for the size of the car, good mpg, decent handling and feel.

BTW, the roof rack comment I made earlier was that if I had more than 3 kids, the 4th would go on a roof rack ;)

Also, here's another racing minivan
Sponsored

 


 


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